Mayo memories: Fr. Tom Shannon’s Boys Sodality and the pram push

By Tom Gillespie

FIFTY-EIGHT years ago - Saturday, December 17, 1966 - I was one of seven friends who undertook a fundraising pram push from Castlebar to Westport and back, which raised £72 for hunger relief.

The event came flooding back to me when I researched the letters of the late Monsignor Tom Shannon, which have been given to me by my classmate, Ernie Sweeney, for safe-keeping, and which he has donated to the county library in Castlebar for posterity. They date from November 26, 1964, to July 12, 1971.

Monsignor Shannon (74) passed away on Friday, August 15, 2008, in Namibia, where he was visiting his sister Bridie in Africa.

Having been ordained on June 23, 1957, as a young priest, he was appointed to Castlebar, with instructions to take charge of a choir of 40 boys and 20 men in the Church of the Holy Rosary. He was also in charge of the altar boys who at Masses responded in Latin.

In 1964 he set up a Boys Sodality, of which we were members.

He remained in Castlebar until 1971, which marked two ordinations to the priesthood of Joe Quinn from Newantrim Street and Michael Neary from Blackfort.

As part of his work with the Boys Sodality, Monsignor Shannon issued regular typed letters to the boys, which I have before me.

To do so he had learned to type, a trait which saw him appointed as secretary to the then Archbishop of Tuam, Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Cunnane, a post he enjoyed for 13 years, the highlight of which was the visit by Pope John Paul II to Knock Shrine in 1979.

Then in 1984 he was appointed to Ballinrobe where he remained until his death 23 years later.

Returning to his letters and the pram push, Fr. Shannon, in a letter from the Presbytery in Castlebar on January 23, 1967, wrote: “I could not conclude this letter without once again referring to, and thereby placing on permanent record, the £72 collected by the voluntary effort of a group of our members.

“On Saturday, December 17 (1966), they wheeled a pram to Westport and back in aid of the Freedom from Hunger campaign.

“They presented the cheque to Archdeacon Willian Nohilly at our first Sodality social (in the town hall) on January 4 (1967), and asked him to transfer it to the proper authorities.

“Their effort deserves mention for another reason: the seven young men who took part were classmates in sixth class (1962/63) and though they attended different secondary schools, the spirit of comradeship has persevered - and will.

“We are all so pleased that they included us with them in this special occasion and made the presentation on behalf of the boys Sodality.

“On behalf, and in my own, I now thank them individually: Padraic Lyons (Spencer Street - St. Gerald’s), Kieran Murphy (RIP) (The Mall - Newbridge), Sean Reynolds (Mountain View - St. Gerald’s), John McCormack (Westport Road - Castleknock), Tom Gillespie (Marian Row - St. Gerald’s), John Parson (Main Street - Rockwell) and Tony Kelly (RIP) (Spencer Street - St. Gerald’s).”

Later in his letter to the Sodality members, Fr. Shannon wrote on January 25, 1968: “I would like to place on record the second achievement of Tom Gillespie (Marian Row - St. Gerald’s), John Parson (Main Street - Rockwell), Sean Reynolds (Mountain View - St. Gerald’s), Kieran Murphy (The Mall - St. Gerald’s - he had returned to Castlebar by then), John McCormack (Westport Road - Castleknock), Padraic Lyons and Tony Kelly (Spencer Street - St. Gerald’s).”

Christmas 1967 saw them collect £111. 4. 3. within the county for children with special needs, he noted.

“At a social on January 11th, Kieran Murphy - on behalf of the group - handed over the cheque to Mr. Tom Fallon and Mr. Michael J. Egan.

“Mr. Egan thanked the group for the cheque and praised their outstanding voluntary effort.

“I now endorse all he said in writing, and congratulate them on behalf of the Sodality.”

I recall Tom Fallon, one of the founders of Western Care Association, was in the insurance business in Ellison Street, Castlebar, and he arranged car insurance for us for one day, allowing us to drive from town to town to make the collection.